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Beasley eyes MLS as Rangers departure looms

DaMarcus Beasley (Rueters) 

DaMarcus Beasley could be looking for work soon, and the potential search for employment has him eyeing a return to Major League Soccer.

Rangers is ready to part ways with the U.S. national team winger in January and sources tell SBI that Beasley is looking for a return to MLS, but his asking price might prevent the reunion from happening.

Rangers has been looking for takers for Beasley's services for some time, along with the services of several other players, but has yet to secure a reasonable offer for the former PSV star. If no offers emerge soon, the Glasgow club will release Beasley, which could pave the way for Beasley to make a move back to MLS.

So what is standing in the way of a Beasley return home? The fact that no MLS team is ready to pay the seven-figure salary he is looking for and has grown accustomed to in his five years of playing in Europe's top flight.

There aren't many teams in MLS that couldn't use Beasley's services on the left wing, but his Designated Player-level salary demands are an issue. With MLS teams targeting mainly foreign stars with their designated player slots, Beasley will have a difficult time finding an MLS club with the DP slot to use on him, and the willingness to make him a designated player.

Which clubs would be interested? Bruce Arena and the LA Galaxy would make a perfect fit, but would only make sense financially if David Beckham were to leave LA for AC Milan permanently. Beasley could theoretically be a replacement for Landon Donovan if Donovan were to make a permanent move to Bayern Munich (where he is set to begin a loan move next month) but the Galaxy would be unable to pay Beasley more than a max salary of approximately $415,000 a season (at least not under the current MLS rules).

A return to Chicago, where he began his career and reached an MLS Cup with in 2003, would not seem likely considering Cuauhtemoc Blanco currently fills the club's DP slot and left winger Justin Mapp recently signed a contract extension.

Beasley had been linked to a potential MLS return two years ago, with Real Salt Lake and New York the identified suitors, but that was when John Ellinger was RSL's head coach and Arena was with the Red Bulls. With Ellinger serving as Hyndman's assistant with FC Dallas, you have to wonder whether FC Dallas would be interested and capable of making Beasley an offer he would seriously consider.

A Beasley return to MLS will ultimately come down to whether Beasley is willing to take a substantial pay-cut to come home. If he were, the number of interested MLS teams would multiply.

So why would Beasley be interested in a return to MLS at the age of 26? Injuries and inconsistent playing time have hampered him the past three European seasons, and with 2009 being a busy and important year for the U.S. national team (with World Cup qualifying, Confederations Cup and Gold Cup), Beasley could be better served by spending the next year or two in MLS, which would cut down on his travel requirements as opposed to if he were based in Europe. He would be 28 after the 2010 World Cup and a strong showing in South Africa, as well as in MLS, could pave the way for a return to Europe.

Beasley has struggled to gain a regular place in Rangers' starting lineup this season, failing to even make the bench on a handful of recent occasions. Rangers faces arch-rival Celtic on Saturday.

What do you think about Beasley potentially returning to MLS? Do you want him to come back? Do you think he would be better served staying in Europe? Which MLS team could you see him going to? Think Rangers should keep him?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. wish he could get some playing time there in scotland or move back to PSV or go to standard liegue…..
    something like that.

    Reply
  2. I just want to see Beasley get regular PT. And not at a low quality of play league. If it requires a move back to MLS, so be it. I know that isn’t saying much but playing a full 90 in the MLS would be better than playing 45-60 in a lower league. Or riding the pine like he is now. The way he has been playing for the Nats I wouldn’t be surpirsed to see him not get called in for some games until he starts getting more playing time on the club level. The down side of this is that he would most certainly want DP money, and who would dish this out to him? Better yet, who has an open DP slot that would be willing to pay him? New York? Real Salt Lake? Maybe even FC Dallas. The Revs sure could use the help.

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  3. This deluded view that he can only be a good player if he plays in Europe is annoying.

    Besides, Beasley is no longer a part of the best 11 of US Soccer in my opinion.

    Howard
    Altidore
    Donovan
    Dempsey
    Cherundolo
    Gooch
    Bocanegra
    Adu
    Bradley
    Kljestan

    Maybe the last spot is open for Beas if he can convert to LB, but his lack of playing time and low ceiling push him out in favor of a Kenny Cooper or even a guy like Charlie Davies or Gringo Torres. If Edu weren’t also rotting at Rangers I’d put him in the discussion as well.

    Maybe a return to MLS could resurrect his career as opposed to just prolonging it middling through weaker European leagues, which is what him “sticking it out in Europe” would likely entail.

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  4. Beasley and Convey were mostly about speed and effort. Football “intelligence’, touch and subtlety were never their strong points. If injury and age have robbed them of this then they need to get to any club, anywhere of at least MLS level that will play them regularly and help them heal.

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  5. Beas out of the SPL would be a good thing, to the MLS? Maybe not. I’d like to see Beaz make a move to a ‘smaller’ club in Spain or Italy…or I’d take an Argentina move as well but don’t count on it, there are 57,000 better left mid options for River Plate near the obelisk on the 9 de Julio.

    Will Beas start the Mexico game? that would be a good discussion…I don’t see how Bradley goes elsewhere, but not playing hurts a player…ask Feilhber.

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  6. Everybody is acting like his coming to MLS is a big deal.

    There’s a good reason he’s bombed in Europe and that this might happen. He can’t dribble, he can’t cross, his passing is adequate but nothing special. When you get by his work ethic (good) and speed (V good), there really isn’t that much there, The Euros just happen to see it.

    He should come to MLS, but not for 7 figures. I’m thinking he might be worth 250-300K tops

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  7. If he comes back to MLS, he’s making MLS better.

    I don’t see a problem with that. It’s not a profitable league right now, but competition is competition. He’s not getting any better watching games in Europe.

    If no one wants him for a fair value, bring him home.

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  8. Mike_D and CD

    Just because an American uses sayings not typically used in America doesn’t mean they’re some kind of “Eurosnob” or whatever. Most of the English people I have interacted with over the past 10 years haven’t been Americans. Most of the TV broadcasts and soccer matches I’ve watched haven’t been American. And guess what, sometimes without realizing it I use words or sayings not typical of American English.

    Or maybe someone just likes the sound of SHITE better? Is that bad?

    So please take your linguistic “eurosnob” witch-hunting to Bigsoccer with the rest of the jingoistic language police.

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  9. I spent the past few months in Glasgow and had a chance to see Beasley play in person this season – with Rangers blowing out Inverness 5-0 he was subbed on to absolutely no ovation (unlike the cheers I heard Dempsey get a week earlier down in Craven Cottage). A pass would come Beasley’s way and it would bounce off his feet to the other team, and someone in the stands would call him a wanker, and everyone else in the stands would laugh.

    I used to be a huge Beasley fan, until I actually watched him playing on TV and in the flesh week in and week out… I’ve got to say, it does a disservice to the Altidores, Coopers and Feilhabers to say that Beasley is still one of America’s elite. We can do much better (though I do like the suggestion about converting him to a left back – interesting theory, if he were willing to give it a go).

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  10. I think he ought to stick it out with Rangers. The left wing spot is wide-open and his for the taking. It would also be an honor to cement a starting spot with Rangers. Having an important role on a team with Barry Ferguson, Kris Boyd, David Weir, etc. would be great for his career.

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  11. beasley would rock in MLS. I agree with the other poster. MLS should have a DP rule for USMNT players. Sure we’ll lose the Jozy’s and Dempsey’s of the world, but atleast we’ll prevent those crap Scandinavian leagues from poaching away MLS all stars.

    He’d start in 80% of the teams in MLS right now. Only LM’s who are better than him are Dave VDB and Huckerby.

    Beasley has made his money already in Europe, its time to come home and give something back to American soccer while you still have some gas left in the tank. (200k-400k a year isnt anything to laugh at either)

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  12. I’m astonished that anyone thinks Beasley is worth the effort. He’s got feet of lead, couldn’t hit water if he kicked the ball at the Pacific Ocean, and has lost a few steps. He’s never been all that good, quite frankly, and I think Rangers are finally wising up to that.

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  13. I think MLS would be a step in the wrong direction. Beasley needs to find another European team, as Gooch did. Somebody in Europe was a good left winger with speed and the ability to finish. All this criticism I read here that’s being heaped his way is unwarranted. He took a MAJOR injury, and it takes time to come back from that. Personally, I’d like to see him in a mid-level EPL team, the Bundesliga, or Spain.

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  14. Dave Martinez,

    I was actually thinking River Plate when I thought that.

    Actually no, I was thinking out of my backside, but I’m sure he couldn’t hurt.

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  15. i like it when americans try to talk like Brits, and say “shite” or “arse”, and get all passionate for foreign leagues. lol

    CD

    —–
    took the words out of my mouth dude. I hope these guys saying Rangers are shite, Huns, blah blah Huns are Scottish. I hope most American fans realize you can enjoy a European match and follow a team without picking up the horrible aspects of the supporters.

    Reply
  16. He’ll probably get loaned off to Spurs as Redknapp is looking for players who
    now are expendible and taking up $$$ on the wage bill but not playing regularly. Beasley fits this requirement. Spurs don’t have a good left MF since Malbranque, and Beasley would offer them speed down the left flank with Lennon on other.

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  17. I look forward to the day, hopefully in my lifetime, when people who back the USMNT look at playing experience in the MLS as a positive and not a “step-down.”

    Frankly, I’d take most MLS teams against most teams from the 2nd and 3rd tier European leagues — such as Austria and Denmark and Norway.

    So I hope it’s just a matter of time until some realize that players like Beasley or Chad Marshall playing in MLS is much better than the pair of them watching European games from a sideline seat.

    Reply

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